The sirloin – hot from the grill and sliced to order by the waiter – was the latest in a parade of steaks, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey and sausage brought to diners at Rodizio Grill in Braintree, a Brazilian steakhouse. It’s a South American twist on all-you-can eat barbecue, known as churrascaria, which is served table side, a style known as rodizio.

In contrast to a traditional carving station where meat is kept warm under a heat lamp, these meats are always hot. When the meats aren’t being offered to diners, they are kept warm on the grill. Slowly turning on a rotisserie over a gas or charcoal flame, the best of these meats are deeply flavorful with a crusty outside and tender inside.

“On the first round, people usually try everything.” said Abe Hafiani, co-owner and manager of Rodizio Grill.. “Our most important advice is you have to go slow and steady.”

Brazilian steakhouses are hot now and likely to experience a swell in customers over the next four weeks as the World Cup focuses public attention on Brazil. Since opening in the United States in the mid-1990s, Rodizio Grill and Fogo de Chão, both chains, each added restaurants in Greater Boston about a year and a half ago.

If you want an outdoor eating experience to go with your barbecue, Rio Brazilian Steakhouse in Plymouth has a patio that seats 25. Brazilian Vagmar Stoffel of Weymouth opened it with a partner in 2010 and relocated it to Plymouth in 2011. The Spettus Steakhouse opened at Rio Brazilian’s Quincy site several years ago, and now is closed while it relocates to Independence Avenue.

“We don’t have a big Brazilian community, but the customers keep coming,” said Stoffel, who cooks his meats over charcoal. “They’re excited about the way we do it.”

To fully appreciate a Brazilian steakhouse, you need to arrive with a hearty appetite and plenty of time. You can make the most of the experience by engaging the servers, who are happy to describe the meat they carry and how it is prepared. The servers are adept at chatting while balancing the skewer in the center of a pan and removing slices or kebabs with a long sharp knife. To summon them, you raise or display the green side of a coaster; when you want a break, you show the red side.

“The servers are very sweet and helpful,” said Maureen Fay of Braintree, who ate at Rodizio Grill with her husband and Murphy. “I’ll be here all night.”

Her exaggeration isn’t so extreme, given that she could sample over a dozen meats, as well as a large buffet of cold salads, such as hearts of palm, artichoke, asparagus and cerviche, and of hot sides, such as Brazilian stew, rice, beans, and collard greens. That’s in addition to the table appetizers of Brazilian favorites – rolls baked with cheese inside, banana fritters and crispy polenta.

Though meat is the star attraction, vegetarians will find plenty to eat. They pay a lower price for unlimited salads, hot sides and appetizers.

With Rodizio’s open grill area, diners can see and smell the meats. They’re typically seasoned just with salt, the traditional Brazilian way, Hafiani said. But every night, the chef prepares specials with seasonings such as parmesan cheese, ginger, garlic and citrus. The most popular meat is picanha, a soft, buttery top sirloin cut in a half moon shape. Chicken hearts with limes are considered a delicacy, and whole pineapples glazed with brown sugar are a sweet contrast to the meats.

In celebration of the World Cup, Rodizio Grill is offering free Brazilian appetizers (banana poppers, polenta, cheese bread) all day June 12 - July 13 at the bar with purchase of alcohol. It’s also giving away a free, four-night trip to Brazil for two (no purchase necessary).

Jody Feinberg may be reached at jfeinberg@ledger.com or follow on Twitter @JodyF_Ledger.